Domino Recordings

Domino Recordings

Laurence Bell founded the Domino Recording Company in Putney in 1993, with nothing but a small grant, a fistful of demos and the aim of nurturing “artists who have no choice but to make music”. Twenty years on, operations at Domino may have expanded considerably, but they’ve always remained true to that ethos, and have deservedly established themselves as one of the world’s key indie imprints.

Peruse their output and you’ll encounter some of the most important artists of the past two decades, ranging from trailblazers of American lo-fi Sebadoh and Pavement to mainstream-conquering British bands Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys.

Thanks to their eclectic tastes – and an array of sub-labels like Weird World, Double Six and Ribbon Music – their catalogue isn’t confined to one specific genre, either. At Domino, classic albums by post-punk pioneers Orange Juice and Liquid Liquid can be found nestling next to the futuristic sounds of Four Tet; Animal Collective’s expansive psychedelia provides a welcome contrast to the stripped-back blues-rock of The Kills; How To Dress Well’s melancholic R&B is every bit as acclaimed as James Yorkston’s folk music.

Below you’ll find more information about some of our favourite Domino artists, and a selection of classic albums priced from £4.99.

A few of our favourite artists...

Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts In our humble opinion, this Kendal-born, Leeds-formed four-piece are one of the finest British bands of the past decade. Discovered by Domino in 2007, Wild Beasts have three exquisite studio albums to their name so far – Limbo Panto, Two Dancers and Smother – and with each one they’ve developed and refined their art, all the while preserving the elements that first drew us in: the bouncing percussion, the shimmering guitars and the vocal interplay between booming baritone Tom Fleming and operatic countertenor Hayden Thorpe. It’s been two years since we heard from them last, so we’re very much hoping that album number four is imminent. We can’t wait to hear what they’ve come up with.

Preview and download music by Wild Beasts »


Four Tet

Four TetQuite rightly one of the most respected names in British electronica, Kieran “Four Tet” Hebden is an understated visionary who effortlessly blurs the lines between the organic and electronic, giving his music a timeless, cinematic quality. In his four albums for Domino so far, he’s showcased a seemingly boundless creativity that’s a product of his dedication to perpetual evolution and his broad range of influences that range from spiritual jazz to techno. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hebden’s breakthrough record Rounds, Domino are reissuing the album with a bonus live set recorded in Copenhagen near the time of the original release. You can remind yourself how great that album is, and delve deeper into Hebden’s back catalogue below.

Preview and download music by Four Tet »

Clinic

ClinicVariously disguised in medical scrubs or – more recently – monster get-ups, these four fellas from Liverpool might be camera shy but that hasn’t stopped them forging success on their own terms. In fact, in the 16 years they’ve been together, Clinic have pretty-much out-performed most of their peers, having toured with Radiohead and won a Grammy nomination for their second studio album, Walking With Thee. Last record Free Reign found Ade Blackburn and co on top form once again, this time assimilating elements of Krautrock, garage rock and jazz into their unmistakably “Clinic” sound.

Preview and download music by Clinic »

Read an exclusive interview with Clinic »


Latest releases

Recent favourites

  • Cover Art
    VILLAGERS - {Awayland}
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    Preview
    Release Name
    {Awayland}
    Release Date
    (2013)
    Artist Name
    by VILLAGERS
    Price
    £7.99
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    Review

    Lauded as Dun Laoghaire’s answer to Elliott Smith when he first emerged in 2008, Conor “Villagers” O’Brien went on to make the sleeper hit of 2010, winning an Ivor Novello and bagging Mercury/Choice Music Prize nominations for his efforts. Three years on, the follow up to the brilliantly-brooding Becoming A Jackal has arrived, and if second albums are meant to be a tricky business, O’Brien clearly missed the memo. Inspired by the soundscapes of Jean-Claude Vannier and the glitch-laden opuses of Flying Lotus, {Awayland} is more panoramic in scope than its predecessor, variously pairing stuttering, synthetic rhythms with lush strings on ‘The Waves’, and digital bleeps with meandering mellotron on ‘Judgement Call’. Lyrically, he’s on top form too, tackling the macabre and the melancholy with trademark poeticism.

  • Cover Art
    Julia Holter - Ekstasis
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    Release Name
    Ekstasis
    Release Date
    (2012)
    Artist Name
    by Julia Holter
    Price
    £7.99
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    Review

    In an industry dominated by attention seekers, an unassuming artist like Julia Holter could have been easy to overlook. Were it not for her sophomore album, that is. Combining twinkling harpsichord, gently pulsating keyboards, sparse drum machines, and layer upon layer of echo-laden vocals, there was a quietly ethereal quality to Ekstasis, redolent of Tender Buttons-era Broadcast, or vintage Laurie Anderson. Utterly bewitching stuff.

Classics

Back catalogue sale